Ron “Too Black, Too Proud” Artest Responds to Yao Ming

The Houston Rockets have yet to formally introduce Ron Artest as the newest member of their organization, and already he’s making headlines. Just remember, guys, you’ve got 15 days to back out of this thing.

Ron Artest got wind of Yao Ming’s rather anxious comments regarding his joining the Rockets, and Ron-Ron tried to put his new center’s mind at ease.

This being Ron Artest, though, it turned into something else altogether; something magical.

“I understand what Yao said, but I’m still ghetto,” said Artest, who will earn $7.4 million next season and be a free agent next summer.

“That’s not going to change. I’m never going to change my culture. Yao has played with a lot of black players, but I don’t think he’s ever played with a black player that really represents his culture as much as I represent my culture. Once Yao Ming gets to know me, he’ll understand what I’m about.”

I have absolutely no idea what the above quote means, but if this ends up with Yao accompanying Ron to a Black Panther meeting or two next season, then I’m all for it.

I never thought the hilarity that was Yao Ming’s rookie season – when he could barely speak a word of English, and Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley were desperately trying to integrate him into the culture – could ever be topped, but with Ron-Ron now in the mix, the sky truly is the limit.